NewZed

I think that the proper way is to measure head thickness and shim up to the stock head thickness of 4.218". If the block deck was resurfaced that needs to be taken in to account, I believe. If it's a motor new to you the head might have already been resurfaced and at the limit before you started. Maybe you need more shim. Also, weren't you installing a turbo motor? P90A hydraulic pivots might take extra care or behave differently compared to the more common solid pivots. No expert, just working my memory. Edit - I got the 4.218" number directly from the Honsowetz "How to Modify..." book page 55, but it looks like it's the wrong number.

Start a new thread in Parts Wanted. Use more punctuation.

Are you sure it's an externally regulated alternator? The 78 280Z's had internal regulation, your 77 probably came with external. Which also makes one wonder about the external regulator.

Bar's stop leak is a fairly common fix for small leaks. Search and you'll find some opinions on its use. Not glamorous, but easy and effective.

Get a radiator cap with a schrader valve and pressurize the cooling system. Or just stab a cooling hose with pressurized air and do the same. See where stuff comes out. After enough coolant blows out you'll hear the hiss of air escaping. Use a piece of hose and your ear to home in on the source.

Sounds like the typical dirty/corroded electrical connection, usually at the battery. Dirty contact > resistance > current flow > heat > expansion > loss of connection > cool-down > contraction > connection restored.

I had just realized that before the site went in to its nightly coma. It's a year-round joke apparently. Sorry about that.

It's like they're messing with their own customers. "Premium Cerametallic materials featured on the DriveStarâ„¢ provide a high level of stealth..."

Surfing around looking at clutch disc images and came across a new ACT offering. I don't know if they're "jumping the shark", joking or just running out of ideas but it's fun to look at. Near the bottom of the page. If it's real they shouldn't have called it Ninja, that's just bad marketing. http://www.advancedclutch.com/blog/category/new-products/

You're not getting the point. By now you should realize that what you're calling points aren't points. My efforts have been pointless. Those six frosty things in your picture are not points. If you want to learn a little automotive history, get on Google Images and type in "ignition points". Then look at pictures. It's the conductive paths to ground or other electrodes from dirt and arcing that cause problems in the cap. Best to get a new one.

It may be that it's okay for a really good builder to machine individual custom shims for each tower. If the guy you're talking to is the guy doing the work and stands behind it then why not. But if he's giving advice that other builders can't follow, there's a problem. You may also be getting advice about old engines from a guy that has only worked on modern ones.

Meaning is in the mind of the person thinking. You're overlooking also, that past work may be available that could now be shared via the internet. Us poor folk have to collect our scraps of power where we can so knowing that the F54/P79 design can create more or less power than the N42/N42 or N47 would be a helpful starting point. Plus it's always helpful to know what the engineers achieved with their changes. It just makes a person smarter. Or at least gives that feeling.

1974 was the year that Nissan introduced electronic ignition to the US market Z cars. No more points. Looks like someone just swapped L24 engine parts in but kept the better 260Z electronic ignition with its distributor. Look under the passenger dash by the fuse box and you'll probably see a neat looking aluminum box with cooling fins on it.

I'm still hoping that someone will show a one-to-one dyno comparison of the two stock engines, just for the record. Just to know, even though it's most likely just a few HP or lbs-ft either way.

The first part of this statement has has not been confirmed.

Post a picture of the points to show what shape they're in.

I don't know the correct answer. Using different shims under each tower doesn't match anything I've heard of though. I was referring to Tom Monroe's "How to Rebuild" book and Honsowetz's "How to Modify" book. They both describe milling top and bottom, and using shims to restore the camshaft to crankshaft distance. I've never seen a procedure for using different thickness shims, certainly not in the FSM. How would that even be done? The FSM says to replace the head if it's warped. Who is this experienced professional engine builder?

The shims or the top side resurface? The shims restore the height, but after the top surface is milled. The shims are all the same thickness. Shims plus top side resurface, not either/or. No pro though.

Just for the sake of making things interesting, describe the Mikunis, where you got them, what they came from and condition. Post pictures. Do some work to figure out what cam and headers you have. More pictures. And give a link to the TEP parts you're buying. Many people that might have an answer would see this as someone asking how to tie their shoes, but can't tell if the shoes are old dirty sneakers, or a new pair of super-cool shoes. Your question is not even 101 level, you have to make the thread worth looking at and replying to.

Spell out the words of the acronym - CHTS. C = cylinder, H = head, ...

Monroe says that cracks between the valve seats is the end of the head. Page 90, How to Modify... The thing about cracks is that they like to keep growing until there's no material left to stop them.

Where's the smoking tires picture?

I think that axle removal is required for that bracket.

A few RPM can have a big effect. http://reconitelectric.blog.com/files/2012/03/alternator_power_curve.jpg

If you search around you'll find that some of the pros say they're not even necessary. Clamping force is key. The ring gear should never slip at all, so the bushings/shims/space fillers should never feel a thing.